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J. H. RADGLIFFE. APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES, GIVING ALARMS, &0.

4 Sheets-Shee1b 1.

(No Model.)

No. 408,325. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. H. RADGLIPFE. APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES, GIVING ALARMS, &c.

No. 408,325. PatentedAug. 6, 1889.

MM #M 75% 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. H. RADGLIFPE. APPARATU$ FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES, GIVTNG ALARMS, 820. No. 408,825.

Patented Aug. 6

EElimdIm n. PETERS mwmm n m Walhingtofl. n.0,

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. H. RADGLIPIE. APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES, GIVING ALARMS, &c

No. 408,325. Patented Aug. 6, I889.

IIIIIIIIIW 11m I ll/III. IVI/I/l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB HENRY RADCLIFFE, OF OLDHAM, COUNTY OF LANCASTER,

ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES, GIVING ALARMS, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 408,325, dated August 6, 1889.

Application filed December 7, 1886. Serial No. 220,934. No model.)

To aZl whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB HENRY RAD- CLIFFE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Oldham, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Extinguishing Fires and Giving Alarms of Fires and Alarms of Extinguishing-Fluid being Wasted, Causing Damage, of which the following is a specification.

I attain the objects of my invention by mechanical, chemical, and electrical combinations illustrated by the annexed drawings and specification.

Figuresl and 2 represent two views of a strong tinned iron vessel which Iuse for generating carbonic-acid gas in solution with water by means of sulphuric acid and bicarbonate of soda.

My invention is not in the vessel, but relates to the attachments for automatic or other action of a fire-extinguisher, electric fire-alarm, or alarm of accidentally wasting of water, causing damage.

Figs. 1 and 2 show, respectively, a side and front view of the apparatus complete. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the acid bottle and crusher. Figs. 4, 5, (i, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 are detail views, to be hereinafter referred to.

I attach handles H on the sides of the vessel as means to carry it.

On large machinesI affix three feet G on the bottom hoop of the machine, so that it may be fixed firmly to the floor.

I will now refer to and explain my attachments and annexed drawings.

In Fig. 1, A is a tube to conyey the extinguishing-fluid from the vessel.

B is an iron rod fixed to the bottom hoop and to a plate 0 under tap L. This rod forms a guide for the suspended weights WV, which weights are suspended by a wire K, fixed to the wall or any other required place at one end cf wire. On this wire I affiX one or more links or couplings made of an alloy of metal, the fusing of which metal is accomplished by a low temperature. ForthispurposeIusetin,two parts 3 lead, three parts, an dbism ulh,five parts, by weight. I place these links about ten feet Figs. 11, 12, and 13 represent three different views of the electric switch referred to.

In Fig. l the chain D is attached to weight "W, passing over pulley E, hanging loosely at D, passing round and hooked on the wheel in the IIIHIQDGIISIIOWH in Fig. 14, so that when the wheel is turned by the falling weights the chain detaches itself from the wheel and lets the weights drop to the ground, when the spring 0, Fig. 3, on the spindle will recoil and close a valve at the bottom of the spindle S E, Fig. 3, and the spindle will recoil and close the valve again, that has been opened by the rotation of spindle by the falling weights.

The manner in which the chain rotates the spindle is shown at Fig. 7, Sheet 3, and this figure denotes the configuration of the wheel fixed on top of the spindle, Fig. 2, Sheet 1.

0 represents the electric wires to convey alarms, and which are affixed to the watertube at F, Fig. 1, by means of a wood clip, which forms part of the electric switch, made as shown in Figs. 11, 12, and 13. The electric wires are fixed to the projecting ends of copper wire X and Y, this wire'being part of thehinge for completing the electric current to ring an alarm-bell.-

I use an ordinary Lcclanch battery to generate the necessary current of electricity to ring the alarm-bell.

()n the top of the vessel shown in Fig. 1 I place a screwed cap F (made in the manner shown in Fig. 3) for the purpose of charging or placing therein a bottle containing sulphuric acid, and by automatic action or otherwise split the bottle-neck of acid-bottle. I thereby bring about a combination of acid and solution of salts and water, generating carbonic-acid gas under great pressure to discharge the contents of the machine. The acid is retained by a ground-glass stopper, which, together with the bottle neck, is ground, therebyconfining the acid within the bottle until the latter is broken.

When the fire-extinguisher is required,I combine the acid with the salts and water by splitting the bottleneck open at R (shown in Fig. 3) by pressure acting at the end of glass stopper J or by forcing the bottle downward with the quick-threaded spindle shown in Fig. 1. The stopper in the bottleneck, when inverted, rests on the set-pin P. The act of turning the spindle by handle or wheel thereby splits the bottle-neck.

On the tube A, I fix a swivel with projecting arms, with or Without a tap, for the dis tribution of the extinguishing-fluid in a circular form.

Figs. 15 and 16 show a sectional and side view, respectively, of this tap and swivel combined. When I use this tap and swivel, this tap is kept constantly open and the other tap shut; but in case the circular spray is not required, and the jet is required to direct the extinguishing-i1 uid, I close the upper tap and open the other tap and use the pipe and jet for extinguishing purposes.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the screw-cap and acid-bottle attachments. The spindle has four threads upon it to work in screw-cap, and is provided with a spring 0 and a handle or wheel B. Underneath the screw-cap an acidbottle case is fixed, and on this case I fix three steel straps, one of which has a ring turned 011 it at O. This ring incloscs part of acidcase cover, Fig. 3, at the outer edge of one of the square holes, forming a hinge with acidcover, so that it can be turned back to take out the bottle. The other two straps are fixed and have hooks turned on them, as shown at O". The adjustable set-pin P may be screwed against the stopper of the bottle to hold it firm when the spindle is turned. lVhen the machine is charged, this screw-cap and acidbottle are screwed into the top of the vessel, Fig. 1, and the chain D is passed over the wheel, as shown. The action of the end of the spindle against the bottle-bottom presses bottle down, and the adjustable set-screw acts against the bottle-stopper, thereby splitting the neck of bottle. On the top of tube A, I affiX a circular sprinkler. On the top of the spindle of the screw-cap I place a wheel, as shown (one-fourth size) in Fig. 14. On this wheel the chain is hooked and attached to weight WV for automatic action when a coupling is fused. At top of the screw-cap, Fig. 3, I put a hole through cap part D and also through the spindle. This is to pass a wire through to lock the spindle during the charging operation.

Fig. 5 is aplan of cast-metal acid-case cover, through which the adjustable set-pin P passes at the center. Said cover is provided with three square holes at right angles to each. other.

The acid-bottle, Fig. 3, is shown broken at M M. This is to show that bottles may be made to any length for various sizes of machines.

Fig. 14; is a view of water-pipe C, with a tap and wheel d, weight E, chain F, fusible coupling B, and electric switch A attached. The pipe is for supplying extinguishing-fluid to sprinkler.

Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are parts of my electric switch for automatic alarms. Fig. 11 is top view. Said swivel is made of wood. a is a hole in the center to embrace the tube, as shown in Fig.1 at F. This wood I cut in two parts, as lines indicate. On this I form a hinge and have copper wires projecting, as

at X and Y. The switch is provided with three copper pieces, two of which I fix with screws, as shown. The third is hinged on the copper wire X, and when connected rests on copper wire 0, which projects, as at A. The electric wires are connected at these points X and Y. This wood block upon which the electric switch is formed is screwed together, as shown in Fig. 11, and this is fixed on tube A. (See Fig. 1.) The movable part 6 of the hinge is held up by the weights 7, and when they fall the part 6 falls also and rests on the opposite wire, thereby completing electric circuit.

Fig. 9 is a cast-metal plate for attaching weights to pipe A and guide B. c is a hole in plate to slide on iron pipe; also (Z is a hole to slide on iron rod.

Fig. 15 shows swivel and pipes. They may be made any length and have small holes in pipes N. The liquid passing out at the holes at opposite sides causes them to revolve and distribute the fluid.

Having now described and explained my invention for fire-extinguishing and alarms of fire, I claim In a chemical fire-extinguisher, the combination, with a receptacle adapted to contain achemical solution and provided with a screw-threaded aperture and a valve-seat at the inner end thereof, of a glass vessel adapted to contain an acid'and inverted in said receptacle, a crusher provided with a screwthreaded spindle engaging said aperture and a valve engaging said valve-seat, a spring applied to said spindle so that its resilience will tend to rotate it in a direction to close the valve, a wheel on the spindle, a weight suspended by a fusible support, and achain detachably connected at one end to the wheel and at the other end to the weight, substantially as described.

JACOB HENRY RAD OLIFFE.

WVitnesses:

FRED RADCLIFFE, FRED WILLIS HADFIELD. 

